The Sunday herald., 1887-01-30
GOSS AND SONS.

turn, ami place purple hearts-easc there.
--AH Ge Year Round.
GOSS AND SONS.
II was Friday evening, the busiest time iu
the week for GOss and Sons, for II was the
night on which the country orders were sent
out.
"Goss and Sons" were in the shop.
Goss was country grocer: the sons were
young fellows of nineteen and twenty, John
and William; the shop was a low wooden
edifice, with window in front and a win
dow round the corner crammed up with
mixtures the most remarkable, and not Sc,
out at all with an eye to effect; but the
place altogether was pretty roomy, for il
rambled away into back shop, warehouse,
store-house, bake house, anu even in the
family sitting room there was a cupboard
full OF patent medicines. II was in fact
quite small "store," for il was the only
shop in Hepburn, unless we count two or
three cottages with goodies and apples In
the window.
"Now, lads, look alive" said Mr.. Goss,
bustling about in his glory. He thoroughly
enjoyed his business; the mixture 'f fuss,
gossip, aud moDey-making suited him ex.
actly, and there was enough interest in III 4
different faucies OF customers and qualities
of coois to occupy his mind amply. He
looked upon the great shopkeepers in his
own trade much as clergyman looks upon
the Archbishop of Canterbury, or even as a
literary man upon Shakespeare.
The three worked on in silence for some
time.
sis 1t twopenny or threeppnny sugar Mrs.
Reece takes, father ?" said William pres
emily.
''Threepenny, of course ~ struck in John
impatiently.
"Will never knows what belongs" said
his father, "he's always wool gathering,
will %
"Will never suppOses anythiDg's worth
thinking about that isn't printed in a
book -
at doesn't want much thinking to tell
him that Sir Benjamin Sykes's housekeeper
doesn't want common stuff. What's this 7
II it's meant for half a pound it's uncom
mon good weight
"Oh, we'll! thought few butter scotch
didn't matter" said Will. turning crimson.
"Butter-scotch drops |" said John, prick.
ing up his ears, "they must he for Miss
Dulcie; she must be home again from school
then"
eyes, she was in the shop to-day. We
had two carriages standing at the door at
once |" said old Goss with pride.
John didn't speak, hut he. was very
vexed indeed that he had chosen Just that
time to slip ont about soms potatoes. Even
to serve Miss Dulcie across the counter with
half pound Of butter-scotch drops was
privilege highly priced by either of These
rustic admirers.
Will, tying mp parcel. gently hummed-
''Tcll me where is fancy bred,
Or In the heart, or In the head?
How begot-how nourshcd?"
NAY. lad, you mustn't talk about fanoies,
said old Goss, mot for many long year;
you needn't blush either, for I'm not going
to have aught o. that sort here, SO can tell
you'll"
81 wasn't thinking anything of the kind.
Miss Dulcis's miles above us, / know; not
but what a great authors the equal of any
body"
"Miss Dulcie!" said Johu looking horri.
hed-"besides, you're not a great author,
Will, so it's nonsense talking"
"Not yet, but there's ifiany one has had
worse beginnings than me-than l have,
msan," correcting himself.
"Tlt tell yOu what, young man." said his
father sternly, 'if you don't get q little more
sense into your head with your readin', aud
within, and poetry, and rubbish, "I'll.--
PHI"
"IIsre, father, let's go and draw the
treacls for the Rev. Matthew Barton" said
John.
"Will, with tremendous sigh the sigh
of the unappreciated, tue misunderstood =
the moment he was left alone, drew out a
book from behind some rolls of calico, sat
upon tlir counter, and was soon lost to the
shop, the orders, the tea, calico, boots, aud
patent msiiciues--all but Miss Dulcie
Herbert Spencer. George Eliot, Macaulay,
and Shakespeare combined could not drive
that little school girl ont Of his mind.
IL Is five years later. The village shop Is
shut, but only for the day. The villagers
are standing about in groups; some of the
more excitsbls ones have handkarchieis to
their eyes. Walking slowly along the white
high road is a black procession, the group
in front toilipg under heavy burden.
Those behind are singing, as they draw near
the churobyard--
"Thc saints OF God, their CONFLICT past.m
"The saints Of God!' What more nobl.
and beautiful titls2 Who can II be who IL
now a saint of GsdH Only old Gloss, the gro
o,r. Certainly he was u church warden also
latterly. lie was a decent old fellow too;
honest when he could easily have cheated;
kindly and generous when II might have
been more to his interest to bs suspicious
and harsh; aud II his "views" were mar
row. !" surely II 10 better to be too much afraid
of doing wrong than not afraid enough
Besides, at the last, in his illness, he shook of
| his old shop as a butterfly shakes off III
| ohrysals, and his heart went home to heaven
| Perhaps the blacksmith who headed III,
| choir, and had chosen the hymn for the sake
nf ila I'm had mad. 1,aI
after all.
After that heavy burden walked tho tw,
young men and their mother, a rather lady
like little woman.
She had been governe's, and married
the well-to-do shopkeepsr, partly for home
perhaps, but not altogether. She felt hi
death very much, and leaned heavily upor
the arm of her manly son John. But VIII
was the one she was proud Of. Hes more
Of a gentleman than john" she said, aud
certainly bs was thin and pale and fond o
books, while John was tall and strong and
fond of work.
They were left comfortably provided for
about three thousand pounds apiece besides
| the shop.
| "Let us sell the business and go up /,
London, +" said Will.
| "What forY What's the good of London p
"Oh, London Why, might got some liz
erary work II VIZ only lived in London. Edi
tors and people like that don't think any
thing Of you II you live in the country"
Poor, honest John, who knew nothing
about editors or literature, or anything o
tho kind, looked troubled.
| 81 should have thought myself that 4
didn't matter where good work came from
| know when am buying things, all car,
about is the quality; whether they com,
doesn't matter a bit. By-tas.by, brother
Mrs. Reece said Miss Dulcie liked those bis
cults had male for her, and wants SON,
more. I'll have the whole lot done; dar,
say might get little trade for them"
pYou'ye no soul. John, declare" sal,